San Diego County Football Officials Association Memo
To: Crew Chiefs, Head Coaches, and Athletic Directors
CC: SDCFOA Instructors & Staff
From: Steve Coover, Instructional Chair SDCFOA
Date: 9/7/11
Re:Weekly Bulletin #2
Dressing Facilities
The Officials Association thanks all schools for providing a safe, secure dressing facility for our crews. I want to remind all crews that we are guests of the high school and must clean up after ourselves and leave the facilities as we found them, neat and clean. It is also important that the crew, and the high school administration, make sure that access to the dressing facility is available immediately after the end of the contest for safety purposes. Thank you!
Hurry Up Offense
With the success of the Oregon offense, some high schools are replicating that pace in our games. What does this mean to the officials?
First, the officials should never increase their game tempo to assist one team’s offense and thus give them an advantage. The last thing we want are flank officials running madly after incomplete passes and running the ball back for the ready for play to help one team run the hurry up.
On the other hand, teams that run this offense often attempt to hurry the ball in to the umpire themselves so that the umpire and referee can begin the process of putting the ball in play. This is fine. Teams can assist by running the ball in to the umpire to speed things up, no problem. Just remember, the officials must all be in place ready to officiate, the box must be set, and the back judge ready to accept the signal for the 25 second clock. Then the referee will signal ready for play by dropping his arm and sounding his whistle. It is helpful for the offensive team if the referee stands with his arm in the air as he prepares to mark the ball ready for play.
Finally, just like any other offensive play, all 11 of the offensive players must be stationary for one second prior to any motion or the snap. I’ve seen video of hurry up teams shifting and the wingback never sets before going in motion. This must be warned at the very start of the game, explained to the coach, and then flagged.
Launching
Please continue to place safety first when it comes to this very dangerous play. Things to look for: leading with the crown of the helmet, helmet to helmet contact, and the defender leaving his feet during the strike. If you see these 3 things in combination, defenseless or not, it is a personal foul.
Sideline Spectators
Remember, sideline spectators (out of the team box) are not subject to any of the high school rules. You cannot penalize a team for the conduct of fans, school administrators, coaches from lower levels not a part of the coaching staff for your game, or a statistician or yearbook photographer. If necessary, you can request that game administration remove a person from the sideline. There can be no penalty!
No doctor’s Note Required for Casts
There was a change to the equipment rule last year which eliminated the need to have a doctor’s note in order to play with a plaster cast. The cast is now considered like any other hard surface and must be properly padded….that’s all. Rule 1-5-3b1 states it is illegal to have…”hard and unyielding items (guards, casts, braces, etc.) on hand, wrist, forearm, elbow, or upper arm unless padded with a closed-cell, slow-recovery foam padding no less than ½” thick.”
Long Black Pants
I just want to remind all crew members that the SDCFOA mechanics require black socks with the new “long black pants” uniform.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month – October
Just a note to let everyone know that the San Diego County Football Officials will be ruling legal all uniform decorations in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Many crews will also be featuring uniform decorations in honor of this annual event.
Social Security Numbers
Reminder to all officials to make sure you fill out your entire pay slip at the school. Tom Ables will be sending a file to all school finance secretaries with social security numbers as they are no longer accessible in Arbiter.
Email plays to hudl
Our football officials association has successfully transitioned from Digital Sports Video to Hudl.com. Our association is listed as San Diego County Officials. We are already receiving cut ups and hope that schools and coaches continue to offer us exchanges of video which will help our officials improve. You need to know that we feature video at every single meeting to drive home officiating philosophies, rules application, and safety issues. Your video helps so please post it to our account on Hudl!!
Congratulations Garth DeFelice and Tom Ables
These two outstanding officials are being inducted into the Hall of Champions Sports Officials Hall of Fame! As you know Tom Ables is our current assignor who had a long career officiating at the high school and college levels. Garth is now a top NFL umpire and has worked a Super Bowl! But many of us remember him playing football for Patrick Henry and then officiating our high school games on Friday nights. The Hall of Fame Induction Dinner will be held on Tuesday, September 20th at the SD Hall of Champions. Tickets are $80 for the dinner and induction ceremony and can be obtained by calling the HOC at (619) 699-2309 or writing for tickets at SD Hall of Champions, 2131 Pan American Plaza, Balboa Park, San Diego, CA 92101.
San Diego Youth Football Fund announces first annual college scholarship
The San Diego Youth Football Fund, a 501c3 non profit entity, formed by the San Diego County Football Officials Association (SDCFOA) is please to announce that it will be awarding an annual college scholarship in the amount of $2,500 to a deserving high school senior football player.
This “KICKOFF” college scholarship will be awarded at the conclusion of the 2011 San Diego CIF football season. To be considered, the applicant must complete the College Scholarship application that can be found at our website, www.sdyouthfootballfund.org.
The basic criterion for the applicant includes, academic standing, football participation, leadership, community service and recommendation of the varsity coach. The student athlete must have played varsity football with a high school that is a member of the San Diego CIF section.
The San Diego Youth Football Fund was formed 10 years ago with its’ mission to provide financial assistance to youth football players that live in San Diego County. Annually, the Fund has award grants to injured players including several that had life threatening injuries.
Many businesses and individuals have supported the Fund. Contributions can be made to the San Diego Youth Football Fund by mail or online at www.sdyouthfootballfund.org.
